To Love the Man Behind the Mask
by scripturient3201
Summary: Anna is a young woman, a psychologist, who can't keep her nose out of danger. After the explosion at STAR labs, she's really in trouble. See how she learns to love the man behind the mask. Can he handle a woman of her caliber? Can she deserve the good life? Rated M for a reason. Brief mentions of abuse, maiming, that sort of thing. Lots of violence and there will be a few lemons.
1. Chapter 1

"Here you go, your first case." Dr. Gerald slapped it onto my new desk. The file was thick as a phone book and had multiple tags sticking out of it.

Curious, I opened it to find the picture of patient 3204, AKA The Joker. He had his hair pulled back and dye free, natural, dried out, blond, curly. His face was free of the make up but his scars were very familiar. His eyes, mischievous and cold, stared at the camera like he was judging me. "But, he's- he's the Joker. You can't be serious! I'm fresh out of my internship! Surely there's someone more qualified-"

"Of course there is, but everyone has to do their time with the Joker. It also serves to weed out the potential threats. If you can get through 90 days with the Joker as your patient, you can move on to other cases." He said. "Your first session is tomorrow. I suggest you read up."

In other words, no one wanted another Harley Quinn incident and no one else wanted to have him as a patient. He left me to my devices as I turned on my small little radio and got to work. He'd been diagnosed with everything: paranoia, schizophrenia, multiple personality disorder, depression, bipoloar tendencies, ADD, ADHD, this guy had it all.

I leaned back in my chair, a handful of papers on my lap as I read through them. I brushed a strand of hair behind my ear and adjusted my neckerchief. It was rather hot in here, but I was loathe to remove it.

Chapter

The sound of my heels clacked against the hard floor. I was looking through my notes again, trying to make sure I'd remembered everything when I heard someone clear their throat. I looked up to find a bunch of guards, all in full riot gear. I must have looked like a deer caught in the headlights of a MAC truck, because that was what I felt like. "Oh, hello." I gave a weak smile, my fingers brushing against my neckerchief. It was my silk one, the best one I had. A present from my mother for graduating college.

"Please give me the file so that we can frisk you." One of the guards said. "Another will check your credentials."

"E-excuse me?"

"We have to be sure you aren't carrying anything dangerous." I nodded and handed him the file and another came up to me, patting me down. He took my extra pencils and my clipboard, trading me for a regular notepad instead. He went to take my neckerchief, but I put my hand up to block him. "He could use that to strangle you."

"He could use his bare hands for that too, but I doubt you've cut them off. Please, just let me see my patient." He looked to another guard, who had a computer, and nodded. The others nodded back and he let me pass.

I walked through the doorway and found myself in what might have been an interrogation room. A small table and a chair, a yellow line with the words 'DO NOT CROSS' repeating was laid across the floor and I felt rather warm. I fiddled with my neckerchief again. "We will be just outside if you need us. Patient 3204 will join you shortly. Do not attempt to touch him nor release his bonds. You will maintain a three foot distance between you and the subject. Should he so much as lift a finger, you call us. Do you understand?" I nodded, but he waited for a verbal reply.

"I understand. Thank you."

"Please sit and wait for the patient." I nodded again and did so.

As I waited, I set his file to the side and got out a recorder. I was actually surprised they'd let me keep it, but it was a necessary tool of the trade. They didn't keep me waiting long, as a door I had not seen opened on the other side of the room and the feared clown prince of crime was wheeled in. He was in a straight jacket and had belts strapping him to the chair. He was cackling so hard he was already straining against them.

A ball of ice settled into my stomach as they pushed him to the center of his area. Before I could say anything, I Was left alone with him. His hair was pulled back into a low pony tail and his face was clear of any grease paint. I waited for him to settle down and turned the recorder on. As soon as I did, he stopped and looked at me, like I was a bug under his shoe he couldn't wait to squish.

"Hello, I'm Dr. Reese. I'm your new psychiatrist and we'll be together for the next 90 days." I said as professionally as I could.

He stared at me for a moment more before he burst out laughing like I'd just said the best joke in the world. I flinched away from the sound, harsh and terrifying as it was. I watched as the skin around his scars pulled and stretched.

I touched my neckerchief subconsciously, making sure it was still there. I waited until he was finished again, this time allowing him to catch his breath. I waited for him to say something, expecting anything from a bad joke to him poking at my personal appearance, but he said nothing. I cleared my throat, rubbing my throat a bit before I picked up my pencil and started to shade in a corner and jot down a note about how quiet he was. When I managed to look at him again, he was just staring at me. His eyes glittering. I could see his mind working on how best to respond to me. "I don't know if you have a window in your cell, but the day is beautiful. A bit cold, but the sun is bright. There's not a cloud in the sky. I hit a bird on the way here, but other than that it's a beautiful day." He didn't say anything, his eyes didn't waver. "It was a robin, I think. A young one. It wasn't very big, anyways." I shrugged and fell silent. He started laughing again.

"Hit a robin!" He cackled. The laugh didn't last as long as the others, but it was still unsettling. When he calmed down again he just smiled at me. "I'm going to enjoy this." His voice was nasally and high.

I cocked my head at him a little. "How so?"

He chuckled this time. "So, what's first? You wanna know how I got my scars? Or uh, you want to know about my mommy and daddy. Or, I know! You wanna know how I'm feeling?" He made a sad face as he mocked me.

"That would be nice if I thought you'd tell me the truth, but I have multiple versions of your mother and father and the stories you've told about your scars. I don't see what else there is to say." I pointed to his file. "I highly doubt you'll tell me anything useful, but I've got all day. So, go ahead, give it your best shot." I gave him my bravest smile as he laughed again.

"I'm definitely going to enjoy this."

"Well, it's your time, Mr. Joker." I pushed. He gave me a smirk and leaned back in his chair.

"You're so serious. How about, uh, I tell a, uh, joke?"

"Go ahead."

"Did you hear the one about the guard?"

I thought for a moment. "...nooo. I don't think I did."

"He had a Riot!" Joker laughed hard at his own joke.

I couldn't help but crack a lopsided smile at the unexpectedness of it.


	2. Chapter 2

I was transcribing my notes when there was a knock on my door. "Have you found anything new?" I looked up to find the lead psychologist, Dr. Gerald.

"No, I've just been talking with him. Mostly jokes and a few stories. All ones that he's told before according to the notes." I rubbed at my eyes.

"I've been told that you refuse to give the guards your scarf. Do you realize how dangerous he is?"

"I am well aware of how dangerous he is, but if he's going to hurt me, he doesn't need tools to do so." I watched as Dr. Gerald sat in the chair opposite my desk.

"Do you mind if I ask what happened?"

"Very much so."

He waited, unwilling to let it go.

"If that's all you wished to talk about-"

"Joker likes you." My eyes snapped to his as he smiled, leaning back in his chair like he'd one a prize. "You think you're the only one seeing him? I do have to keep tabs on him as he's officially my patient."

I leaned back in my own chair. "What is the point of this visit?"

"A warning. Do not egg him on anymore. Don't joke with him or rehash stories. You are not here to make friends, Dr. You are here to work."

"Dr. Anything I do will be meaningless if I don't have his trust."

"You'll never get his trust. That's the point. He's a hopeless case. The most you can do is keep him talking. Hope he slips up or comes up with some new material."

"Then what does it matter what I talk to him about?"

"Because he will twist it to manipulate you. As you analyze him, he does the same to you. There is a reason we had an opening, Dr. He's it."

I watched him leave with a flap of his white coat and turned back to my notes, thinking.

I woke with a start, a crick in my neck as lightning flashed and thunder boomed so loudly that my pictures rattled against the walls. When I gathered my senses, I peeled a postit from my forehead and managed to dig a flash light out of my desk. I rested it vertically on my desk and dug around for the walkie talkie I was issued for instances such as this. I turned it on and found the proper channel. A lot of chatter regarding codes floated in and out in between static. I jumped at a knock on my door. "Dr. Reese? It's John from security. Are you in there?"

"Yes."

"Good. Is your door locked?"

"No."

"Please lock it now and stay put until I come to get you. The power is out and we have a prisoner in the middle of transfer." I nodded until I realized he couldn't see me.

"Of course." I got up and locked the door. "Thank you."

"Stay put and be quiet."

"Yes sir."

I rubbed at my neck as I went back to my chair. When I did, the stuffiness of my office got to me and I reached up to undo my scarf. I untied the knot and slid it around so that I could hold it in both hands. I laid it against my desk and smoothed out the wrinkles. The air hit my scars, making me lift a hand to touch them. It had taken me a long time to be able to touch them, even now, I flinched at the first brush of my fingertips. The hard knots in my skin where there should be smooth, the tightness of the flesh from the surgeon having to pull the skin to close the wound. I cleared my throat and sat there until I couldn't take it any more. I put the scarf back on with practiced ease. I had been lucky.

Most people think it easy to cut someone's throat, when in reality, muscle and skin texture made it very hard to do a lot of damage. If I had been stabbed rather than sawed at, I would not have survived. If the blade had been sharper or there had been more muscle behind it, I might not have survived. If my attacker had known his anatomy, I would not have survived.

With a sigh, I let my hands fall to my papers. I'd been rereading the notes of my predecessors. They all said the same thing. Unsalvageable. Incorruptible in his delusions. If I had done things a little differently, I might be in the same boat as he. I might even have the cell next to him. I had been luckier than he, my scars were easily hidden, but if mine were a little higher, would I be on the same side of the door?

I stacked the papers I'd scattered and tucked them back into the file. I rubbed at my eyes again and dug out a little crusty bit that was stabbing me in the eye. I put the file in my desk, locking it. There was one thing in all the stories he told. One thing that people like to forget about him. He thought himself a good man once. But that all changed when he got his scars. In every story. Whether it had to do with a wife or a parent- except, except the one that had to do with him being a low level thug. That was his exception. But even then he seemed to have some sense of morality.

I stood at my window. The dirt and dust and bars prevented me from seeing anything outside, but I wasn't really looking anyways. I was still thinking about the Joker. Because whatever the cause of his pain, it had been the trigger that his mind needed to watch the world burn. He wanted everyone to live in a constant state of chaos.

When the power came back on I looked at the door. I really had to pee. I was glad that I had a small bathroom attached to my office. However, when I opened the door someone came out. I started to yell, but a hand covered my mouth and I was pulled into the bathroom and pushed against the sink. I yelped into his hand. Panic ate at me. My arms were trapped, one was trapped within his embrace, the other, he'd grabbed and pulled behind my back. His eyes were smug and his hair was wild. "Hi Dollface."

I didn't say anything, I couldn't. Instead, I stomped on his foot as hard as I could and pushed him off of me. I made it to the door when he grabbed my hair and pulled me back. I yelped and clawed at his hands. He threw me over the toilet and pointed a sharp bit of metal at me.

I righted myself, glaring at him, as I flipped my hair out of my face. "Joker," I panted. "To what do I owe this visit?"

"Jail break, toots." I looked around.

"How exactly do you plan on that?" In a flash of lightning, the power was out again.

"Well, that's your problem? Isn't it?" He leaned down to my face with a wicked smile. I sneered and shoved my head into his. He fell back and I gave him a good kick in the ribs before I ran back to the door. I slammed the door closed and locked it. I grabbed the radio and started to say something when I heard him slamming against the door, laughing that awful laugh. He broke the door on the third try and looked at me like a wild animal about to pounce on prey. I threw the radio at him, which he batted like a fly and it slammed against the wall, shattering to bits. He lunged at me, going for my throat.

I screamed, flinging my hands up in a shield he easily batted away. He was so strong. I felt a bookcase at my back, the shelves digging in before they fell, books flying all around us in a flurry of papers and hard edges. I tried to claw at his hands, but he didn't care. I reached for something heavy and grabbed a statue. My hand grabbed at it and I let my arm swing. He caught my arm and I dropped it. His awful smile in my face. I kicked him and he fell to the ground, clutching himself as he cackled again.

I put my hand to my throat, gasping. My scars greeted my palm as I crawled away from him. He recovered quicker than I could. He kicked me in the ribs, flipping me sideways into the wall.

He picked me up by my hair and shoved his face close to mine. His breath was foul. "You're a fighter. I like that." He pushed my head away as he gave me some space.

He looked around as I recovered and started digging around my desk- trying to anyways. He realized quickly everything was locked. But that didn't seem to matter as he jerked hard enough to break it open. "Oh! Someone's got a candy stash!" He pulled out a bag of chips and a handful of candy.

I picked myself up from the floor, but still sat where he'd thrown me. He didn't seem to be paying me any mind as he munched on Cheetos and Reese's pieces. A bag of skittles landed in my lap and I looked up to find him rattling and breaking more locks on my desk. "Why do they give you such a big desk? Make you feel important or to make you feel inadequate?"

"Bit of both, I would guess." I sighed, opening the bag. I hated skittles, but I ate them anyways. When I looked at Joker again, he was watching me. "What happened to your escape attempt?" My voice was hoarse and my neck ached where his hands had been.

"I'm still working on it." He gave me a lopsided smile and I looked away, back to my skittles.

I picked myself up, sore and aching. The skittles irritated my throat. I coughed a bit and placed the package on the desk before I headed to the bathroom. When I came out again, he was looking at my photos. "Didn't take you for a cat person."

"Not mine." I shrugged, sitting in one of the chairs on the opposite side of the desk. "It came with the frame." I snatched a Hershey's kiss from the desk. "I thought it was cute." He watched me, popping a skittle into his mouth.

I let my hand flit to my neck. The skin was tender and already swollen.

The lights flickered again and he stood with a stretch and made his way to the door. He opened it and looked out a bit, and then he was gone.


	3. Chapter 3

I looked at the officer as a medic tended to me. I winced at the ice pack pressed against my neck. "He just left." I rasped. "The lights flickered, and he left." I let my head fall.

"That must have been a signal. Which means he definitely wasn't working alone." I watched as he jotted things down on his little notepad and then talked with the paramedics. I was going to be taken to the hospital. "We'll have a guard posted outside your door and at your home." I thanked him and the gurney was pushed into the ambulance. I wasn't the only person the Joker had hurt, in fact, I wasn't even the worst. But he had left me alive and he had stayed with me the longest.

At the hospital, I was hooked up to every machine they found space for and a guard was posted outside as the Commissioner came in. "Hello Doctor Reese. I'm Commissioner Gordon. I've just come to follow up and see how you were doing." His voice was soft, reverent of the hospital setting, Like he'd done thins many times before. He probably had.

He sat in the closest chair as I watched him. He was older, with a magnificent mustache and gray hairs. He had definitely been at this a long time.

"They tell me I'll be here over night for observation. Worried about my throat, I think." I brushed my fingers along the bandages. My voice was so hoarse even now. And my throat so swollen. My voice was just a whisper, but in the quiet of the hospital night, I could have been shouting. "He didn't tell me anything. He just beat me up and ate my candy."

"That's a lot better than what he did to Dr. Gerald."

"Dr. Gerald?"

He nodded. "Poor man probably won't talk for good long while. Do you remember anything from your sessions with him? It was my understanding that you've been his doctor for the past couple of months."

"I was his secondary doctor. They're using him to weed out possible threats. Dr. Gerald was his primary."

"I see." He wrote that down. "And do you remember anything specific about your sessions?"

"No. And if I did, I couldn't talk about them anyways. Doctor- patient confidentiality." I picked at a corner of the blanket. "But if you were to get a warrant to seize my notes, there wouldn't be much you wouldn't know."

The commissioner looked at me, a small smile on his face. "Thank you, Dr. Reese. I hope you feel better. If you need anything, don't hesitate to call me." He stood, holding out a small white card with his title, name, and four different phone numbers.

"Thank you, Commissioner." I put a hand to my throat again as I coughed a little.

After that, I was left alone to my own devices. My thoughts. They swirled and swirled around my mind. Why had he tried to kill me and then flipped a switch? Did he really try to kill me or was he just testing my reactions? I'm sure if he'd truly wanted me dead, there would have been nothing I could have done to stop him. But the switch that had flipped from trying to hurt me to just breaking through my desk and eating my candy. He hadn't even touched the drawer with the file.

He'd known where it was.

He had decided to eat my candy.

And leave me alone.

Like I didn't matter.

I'd kicked the nurses out for another hour after they checked my vitals and was just starting to go back to sleep when I felt a strange presence in my room. Like someone was watching me, waiting for me to notice them. I tried to lay still, to pretend to not notice, but my throat was itchy and aching from the yelling.

I fought the coughing as long as possible, but it was no use. I sat up again, searching for my water glass, gasping for enough air to cough. "When did it happen?" A low growl asked as hands helped me sit up and pushed my cup within reach.

"Few- few years a-ago." I coughed out, but they subsided as I took a few sips, the water soothing the irritated flesh. My voice was hoarse and weak. "Have you caught him yet?" I looked at the man as lightning flashed, giving light to the otherwise dark room. Man dressed in black, his costume made to resemble a large bat. The symbol on his chest giving him away.

"I will." He assured.

I gave him a weak smile. Most people thought the batman was a dangerous villain, but I knew better. He had saved my life. He'd beaten my attacker off of me and trussed him like a cow ready for branding before getting me to the hospital. "Thank you." I whispered, watching him leave.

I coughed again, less violent this time.

When I was released from the hospital the next morning, I was so tired. I grabbed a cab, dressed in wrinkled work clothes, and gave him the address as I fiddled with my scarf. "Have a bad day?"

"Had a bad couple of years." I admitted with a smile as I ran my fingers through my hair. I cleared my throat.

"You don't sound too put out about it."

I looked at him though the little window and met his eyes as he flicked his to and from the rear view mirror. "Do you play games?" I asked, leaning forward a bit.

"I like to."

"Video games?"

"Sure."

"Well, I see these past few years as my character development phase."

"And the next few?"

"I haven't gotten that far yet. It's an open world, after all." I gave him a smile and leaned back, watching the scenery soar on by. "You're going awfully fast." I noted.

"Does it bother you?"

"If you get a ticket. I have a date with my bed and I'd hate to miss it."

The cabbie laughed. "You won't."

When I got home, there was a cat at the door, meowing for me to feed him. "I know. I know." I sighed, pulling my keys out of my pocket and shoving the correct one into the door. I reached in and snatched the bag of treats and gave him a handful. "There, now you better go home before Sammy gets worried." The cat purred in response, flicking his tail slowly.

I barely made it to the couch before my heavy lidded eyes closed and my body started to go to sleep, despite the thoughts plaguing my brain.


	4. Chapter 4

**Pretty short chapter, mostly just some set up. This story was written during a very difficult time in my life, so the beginning is a little- a lot- slow, but it will pick up soon. Believe me, it picks up soon. There are a lot of short chapters I normally post with larger ones. That's because I hate short chapters. But, this one is sort of needed. It gives you a glimpse of the character's disposition, I think. And from here, you can see how she starts to grow. So, those of you who are reading this, please stick with it. I'm sure you'll enjoy the ride.**

I looked at myself in the mirror. My hair was a mess, having just woken up and needing a shower. But I wasn't focused on that. My eyes were on my neck. The scars and the bruises both taking up my attention. My throat, once graceful and pretty, was mottled black and blue and ugly. My fingers followed the jagged line, rough and tender from the treatment it had received. My throat was exposed, it made me nervous and angry all at the same time. But it was part of my therapy. It was a part of me now. It was part of me forever.

I put on some music and got into the shower, my mind whirling with thoughts. When I got out, the mirror was steamed over so that I couldn't look at myself and I was so relieved.

I dropped the towel in my room and went through my drawers to grab some underwear and an ascot. When it was tied tightly around my neck, I felt so much better. It was soothing, the soft cotton and the tickle at my shoulder. It didn't hide all of the bruising, but it hid most everything else. It made it easier to look myself in the mirror. Closet next, it held my dress suits. I picked the blue one and paired it with a white blouse. Simple, elegant.

I put on a little make up, focusing mostly on my eyes, trying to draw as much attention away from my neck as possible.

When I went to the living room in search of my shoes, I could hear the kids outside waiting for the bus to take them to school.

My phone started ringing as soon as I was in my car. "Hello?" I asked politely, seeing it was Dr. Chapman, the asylum director.

"Dr. Reese? Are you coming in today?"

"Yes, I was just on my way."

"Good, good. I wanted to talk to you as soon as you got in, do you think you could come straight to my office?"

"Yes sir. I can."

"Good, good. I'll see you then."

He hung up and I slid the phone into the cup holder and waited for the bus to go by before I promptly turned in the other direction and headed to work.

"I see you're healing well." He smiled, sitting on his desk. I put a hand to my neck, feeling the comfort of my scarf. "I just wanted to let you know that your work will continue. I don't know how you escaped harm from the Joker, but you were the only one. It's plain to see that he likes you. I was curious that if he were to return, would you take his case again?" How promptly unexpected.

"Well, I wouldn't say I escaped harm." I shifted in my seat. "What about Dr. Gerald? He's going to be coming back to work soon, isn't he?"

"That is entirely up to him and his doctors. But until such a time, I would like you to take over some of his cases. And if the Joker is caught while he is still out, then you will treat him."

"Yes sir." There was nothing I could do.

I accepted the files.

"Good, good. You'll have your first session with Patient 1205A tomorrow, once you've studied up on her case. Also, you should go to your office and straighten up. Thomas will escort you." He gestured behind me and I turned to see one of the security guards. "She's your charge. You make sure she feels safe at all times." He ordered.

"Sir, that's not-"

"I assure you it is. You were assaulted in your own office. I would remiss if I didn't take measures to assure you that we are taking every precaution regarding your safety." He wanted to make sure I didn't quit or sue for dangerous negligence.

I sighed. "Thank you." I stood from my chair and followed Thomas to my office.

"We're going to upgrade the security systems. We do it every time there's an incident to ensure they can't do the same thing twice." He explained. His voice was sweet to my ear, a tenor with a hint of a smile.

Pamela Isla. Poison Ivy. I picked up her file and studied it closely before our session.


	5. Chapter 5

I woke up to the sound of my alarm blaring at me. When I looked up at the ceiling of my bedroom, the white plaster with gold trim around the edges, I gave a hearty yawn and a stretch before stepping foot on the floor. It had been a month before I knew it, the bruises had faded and life had gone on.

I had settled into a routine and the patients seemed to like me. The Riddler had his ups and downs depending if I could answer his riddles or not- more often it was not. I was treating Two- Face, who was once a renowned lawyer, Harvey Dent. He was so angry and his grief for Rachael Dawes was overwhelming. I also treated Pamela Isla, Poison Ivy. She wanted so badly to have a room with sunlight, but her request was denied by the director. I had a soft spot for her. I could identify with her- with all of them really- as they were all products of their environment.

I got a call as I was getting to my car. "Hello?" I answered.

"We got him. Patient 3204 is back."

I froze for a moment.

"I'll want you in my office as soon as you get in."

"Yes sir." I choked out. "I'm- I'm headed in now."

"Good, good." He hung up.

I'm not entirely sure how I got to work. One second I was pulling out of the drive, the next... I was pulling into the parking lot. I didn't expect to see the Joker once again, so soon. I grabbed my briefcase and pulled my hair up in a half-do. When I reached the doors, everyone was in a flutter. The security was on high alert. There were still police waiting to sign papers. I looked at the director's office, the blinds were open so that I could see inside. He was still talking with Commissioner Gordon. I hesitated at the secretary's desk.

"He said to send you in as soon as you got here." She said.

I nodded, following her to the door. "Ah, good, good! Here she is." I walked in, head down.

"Dr. Reese, you've done well for yourself since we last spoke." Commissioner Gordon said, offering a hand to shake.

I gave him a smile and accepted it. "Yes. You seem to be doing well for yourself as well."

"We were just discussing your treatment methods. All of your patients have taken great strides, especially Mr. Dent. I know we discussed it before, but I just wanted to be sure that you would be the doctor to treat the patient." He offered me a seat and we all sat down.

"Ah." I realized. "He was very responsive when I was with him-"

"He also requested you."

That made me hesitate again. I looked between the two men. "What... does that mean... exactly?"

"It means that he has taken an interest in you." The Director said, looking very grave.

"Shouldn't that mean someone else should take his case?"

"Yes, it does. But the last time we denied him something he specifically asked for, he killed three guards and paralyzed a fourth."

"I see." I looked at my hands. "It doesn't seem I have much of a choice then."

"You will have a guard on hand at all times."

"That doesn't do me much good when we are in session."

"It is the best we can do."

I looked at the Joker across the table as he looked at me smugly. "Why hide those pretty scars?" He'd asked.

I put a hand to my neck, swallowing hard. "They distract people." I said softly before clearing my throat. "But I am not the topic of discussion. Tell me, Joker, how is your day going?"

"Well, it's been kind of slow." He gave me a sarcastic smile.

"You have successfully handicapped two guards." I accused.

"They shouldn't have pushed me." He shrugged, leaning back in his chair. He sounded so cavalier. At my silence, he continued. "No jokes today? No questions about why I didn't kill you when I escaped? No curiosity?" He stretched his Glasgow smile across his dirty teeth.

"No." I spat. He watched me for a moment, like a cat thinking about how he was going to attack the mouse next, with a bite or a swipe, neither particularly fatal, but it kept the mouse twitching.

"Ah, you're angry I maimed your mentor."

"Actually, I'm irritated that you don't seem to care about the lives you've ruined. You show no remorse, no sorrow for your actions. You don't want to get better. There's nothing I can do for you." I slammed the folder shut.

"Don't tell me you're giving up, Dr. Reese."

"I will continue to talk with you, but until you decide to take the next step and- forgive the phrase- mend your wicked ways, you will not get better." I gave him a pointed glare, but there was nothing else to say. Nothing he wouldn't twist or elongate.

"What makes you think I'm not better?"

"Because if you were, the pain in your eyes wouldn't be there." And with that, I stood up, file and all.

I looked at my reports, trying to keep everything in order so I could take time off. I just needed a day I wouldn't have to worry about files and people who weren't me. Someone knocked on my door. "Dr. Reese?" It was John.

I'd met him a few months ago and we'd settled into a nice routine.

"Oh, hello." I said, distractedly. I reached into my candy drawer and tossed him a bag of the first thing I grabbed. He caught it easily and sat down in my good chair with a plop.

"How's it going?"

"Disastrously." I sighed, putting my head on the desk for a moment before I lifted it again. I saw him looking at me curiously.

"Got any plans for tomorrow?" He asked, popping a candy into his mouth.

"Not if I can't finish this paperwork." I let my hands float above them for a second. I was missing a paper. I bit back a curse.

"What is it?"

"I'm missing a page." I ducked under my desk, found it, and held it up triumphantly. "Ah ha!" I quickly scribbled the information.

"So, you're finished. You wanna get a coffee or something?"

"I would love to, but I have to babysit and that little terror will take advantage if she senses weakness." I signed it and gathered them up.

"Another time then?"

I gave him a fleeting smile. "Yeah. I just have so much going on." I excused. "We'll have to see." He nodded and walked me out of the office.

In the parking lot, I had my keys in my hand and my car in sight. I'd gotten the paperwork into the director's office just before he left and managed to get a free day. I sighed as I stuck the key in the door.

When I sat in the seat, I just took a deep breath and ran a hand through my hair. He'd been working up the nerve to ask me to coffee for a while.

When I got home, I barely dropped my bag before my doorbell went off. I sighed and prepared myself.

I opened the door, only to be tackled by a little girl in pig tails and a fat back pack, ready for a sleep over. "Dr. Reese!" She cried.

"Hey silly girl." I hugged her back and then sent her into the house so I could talk to her mother. "Find a movie and I'll make some popcorn."

"OK!" She ran inside, only to run back to me, "Oh! I made this for you!" She handed me a pretty drawing of her cat, that greedy thing. It looked more like an orange rolly pollie, than a cat, but she was smiling at me.

"Oh, that's so good! Go put that on my fridge, ok?"

Her whole face lit up and with a loud, "OK!" she was off again.

"I'm sorry I'm so late. I had some last minute papers-"

"It's fine. We just wanted a date night." Mrs. Walters said. "I better get going, I'm meeting Frank at the restaurant." She looked inside. "Be good Angela!"

"OK Momma!" She called back. We laughed at her distractedness.

"She was fed and don't forget bed time is by 11." I nodded.

"Of course." I said, shutting the door once I was sure she was in her car. "Now, are we in the mood for a gushy love story or something musical?"


	6. Chapter 6

**Kind of a ridiculous chapter, but after this, I swear it'll pick up! Please be aware, this is a slow burn. A very slow burn, but there will be romance and adventure and development.**

I shifted through my notes as I was escorted down the hallway. I could hear the patients bouncing off the walls. "What is with them today?" I asked, looking around.

"Dunno, they get like this now and again, especially when the Joker is upset."

"Why would the Joker be upset?" I looked at John, who shrugged. Something was bugging him today. I wondered briefly about what it was, but thought it might not be any of my business.

"Because they had the wrong color pudding? Maybe because the last of his hair dye faded out? You're the doctor, shouldn't you know?"

"You're right, I'm sorry." I shuffled into the regular therapy room. He'd never snapped at me like that before, then again, he'd been kind of different since I turned him down. Perhaps that was it...

I sighed, shutting the door behind me as I looked at the room. It was a cozy place. A safe place. I wanted to just lay down on the couch and take a nap, but my appointment was coming. I checked my watch. Wasn't he? He was late, which was strange. The guards were really good about getting the patients to their appointments on time. I opened the door. "John?" I asked, but he wasn't there.

No one was.

"John?" I called again, but there was still no answer. I let my body follow my head into the hallway. "What is going on?" I asked myself, seeing as no one was around to answer. I went back into the room and grabbed up a walkie talkie. There was no chatter. "Hello? Is anyone there? This is Dr. Reese. Is anyone there?"

There was a moment of silence and I went to push the button again, when static erupted over the channel for a moment. "What's the problem Dr. Reese?" The voice was unfamiliar, but official. I hated these things.

"Who am I talking to?" I asked.

"Dan from security. What's the problem Dr. Reese?"

"My appointment is late to therapy room 2. What's going on?"

There was another moment of silence before the crackle was back. "Dr. Reese. You don't have an appointment in room two. Repeat. You do not have an appointment in therapy room 2."

"That's not what-" I gasped as the radio was snatched out of my hands. "John, you scared me." I panted.

There was something wrong here. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to worry you." He said, but his tone said that he had.

I backed away from him slightly, trying to get a little space between us. "I'm in the wrong room, apparently." I sighed, gathering my notes from my chair. "I don't know how that happened, but I should probably get going. Where were you just now?"

"Bathroom." He grunted, following after me. "You don't even care, do you?"

I looked at him, something in the back of my mind had alarm bells going off. "Care? Everyone goes to the bathroom, why should I-"

"Look at me!" He yelled.

I flinched a moment, clutching my files to my chest. He promptly ripped them out of my hands and they flew to the floor. My strength snapped as my fight or flight response kicked in. My hand flew to his temple, making his head fling to the side hard enough that he stumbled.

I made a run for it. I could hear him chasing after me, slipping on papers as he did. I made it to the hallway and just kept running. He was cursing behind me, getting closer. One of my heels slipped off my feet as I rounded the corner. I started sliding.

He caught up to me, slamming me into the wall. I yelped, crumpling at the pain of being crushed. He grabbed a handful of my hair and pulled my head up. I screeched, reaching up to claw at his grasping fingers. He slapped me.

I kicked out at him, my eye feeling like it was going to pop out of my skull. I felt my foot hit something soft and the air rushed out of him. I pushed him off and started running again. I heard a shot go off and panicked, flinging my arms up around my head, but he didn't hit me. I screamed at the sound as I rounded a corner.

I didn't know where all the guards were, but I kept running, hoping against hope to run into someone, anyone. I could hear him yelling at me again. I was already rounding the corner of the next hallway by the time he could breathe again. He was angry now. Very angry. I'd wounded his pride and his manhood. I wasn't going to get out of this alive if I couldn't find some sort of advantage.

I'm not sure how I did it, but I found myself in the criminally insane's wing, south wing. Joker's wing. I could hear everyone screaming. I could see them through the wall of their cells, which was four inch thick gorilla glass. I ran for my life past the cells, a bullet wizzing past my head and burying itself into the glass of the cell on the corner. I whimpered, turning a corner- dead end.

Joker's cell. He was staring at me curiously from his bed, head lifted so slightly and a look on his face that said, "Oh, entertainment." I looked around, panicking.

"Dead end, Doctor." John grinned maliciously. His gun pointed at me. I gulped, deer caught in the headlights. "Do you care now? Do you see me now?!"

"If you are going to kill me, then go ahead. I've had enough of games." I snapped, looking for a way out, any way out. Where were the guards?! They were supposed to be here!

"I like games." He smirked. "Don't you Joker? Isn't that your MO?"

I heard a low chuckle behind me. "I have a few ...MOs."

"Well, let's get on with it then." I hissed, taking a step forward. My newfound confidence unnerved him, he adjusted his grip on the gun.

"I will shoot you."

"You're going to do it anyways, so JUST GET IT OVER WITH!" I growled at him.

"I think I'll have a little fun first."

"You know what happened to the last guy who wanted to have fun with me?" I lowered my head, looking up at him with my own smile. "He was castrated and fed to dogs." I lied, but I saw him gulp, so I guess it was convincing. "You picked the wrong doctor today." I took a step forward and he took one too. Anger fueling him.

"You should know your place, whore."

"So should you, man slut." I threw back at him. He lifted his gun and slapped me, mostly with his hand, but with that gun in his grip, it didn't really matter. My head was flung to the side with such force it bounced off the cell beside me and I crumpled to the ground in a heap. "You hit like a-" I didn't finish my sentence as he kicked me in the ribs. I felt the air rush out as my body lifted from the floor.

I gaped like a fish as he grabbed another handful of my hair and slammed me into the wall, which inadvertently got my lungs back in working order. I gulped in fresh air as he roared in my face. I tried to get him off me, but he was so strong and my head was screaming and my ears were rattled and my body ached. I clawed at his hand again before I slapped him like an angry housewife. My nails caught his lip, a long red scratch trailed down his chin.

He cussed me, wiping his mouth and slapping me again.

I kicked at him and he grabbed my leg, shoving himself onto me against the wall. I could feel him against me, through his uniform. I did the only thing I could do. I spat at him. He jerked away, dropping me. I tried to scramble up, but he put the gun to my head. I could feel the hard metal pressed against the back of my skull. I froze.

But then, I growled, sweeping his feet out from underneath him, kicking his knee out. The gun went off right by my head and I yelped, flinching away as my ear burned and rang with bells for a second. I stumbled away from him for a moment as he screamed and cried and I adjusted. Joker was pointing at something... I gave him a confused look before I saw the maniac had dropped the gun. I snatched it up and pointed it at the man as he cursed me and my nonexistent sex life and my mother and my future sons. "Yeah yeah, cry me a river." I said a little loudly as I checked my ear. It was bleeding. "Eh, I've had worse." I shrugged, sliding down the wall. I rested the gun on my knee. It was so heavy.

I heard boots thumping the hallway and soon found myself looking at a pair of boots. "Drop the gun, Dr. Reese." Someone said.

I looked up, wincing at the movement. "Dan?"

"Drop the gun Dr. Reese. You're safe now."

"That's all fine and dandy, but where were you guys two minutes ago?!" I yelled, dropping the gun before I got myself shot after all. "I ran through half the hospital! Are you guys trying to kill me? Because if that's the case, I've got things to do. So you might as well get on with it because otherwise, my whole day is pretty much ruined." I jerked my arm out of his hands after he helped me up. I winced at the feeling of someone touching me and started walking.

"You need to calm down, Doctor."

"You know, that is the absolute worst thing to say to anyone?" I snapped, turning on Dan. "Thanks for showing up, but-" I sighed, biting my tongue and fisting my hand as I looked away from him. "This mess should not have happened." I looked at him again, my eyes hard. "I'm going home."

I heard someone clapping slowly, sarcastically. "I've had my show, now where's my dinner?" Joker asked before he started cackling.


	7. Chapter 7

I looked at the table before me for a moment, a headache forming. I fiddled with the cotton ball in my ear, wincing at the scratching sound. Everything was hyper sensitive. I groaned. "Ready for prisoner 3205?"

"Yeah, send him in." I sighed, straightening up. He was wheeled in, sitting back in his chair like he was enjoying the ride, but rather irritated at having been moved. But then he caught sight of me and he shifted. It was a simple adjustment in his seat, but it changed everything. He looked like he was happy to see me. "Dr. Reese. I was wondering if I would see you again." He gave me a tight lipped smile, though his eyes were calculating.

"Yes, I'm back. Gotta pay those hospital bills." I gave a tired smile as I searched my pocket.

"The asylum isn't footing the bill for this one?" He tutted.

"Not the issue. How are you doing today?" I asked, folding my hands on the table in front of me. I'd only brought the recorder, just like the last few sessions.

"Oh, better now that you're here." He smiled again. "That last doc was... irritating."

I cocked an eyebrow at him. "Oh? I was told that Dr. Sanders was good. In fact, I was thinking of transferring your case. It seems you opened up to him a lot better."

"Ah. Don't do that." He warned. "Don't do that."

"Why not?"

"Dr... Uh, Sanders is a lot of things, but a good doc ain't one of 'em." He shifted in his seat. "You ever figure out what that whole deal about the lack of security guards was?"

"Yes. There was an issue with one of the prisoners. A lot of them were irritated and they needed extra security at the pill station." I answered. "What makes you say that Dr. Sanders isn't a good doctor? He got you to open up."

"Oh, you know better than that, Doc." He gave me a kind of knowing half smile, teasing. "Everything I said was.. uh. Crap. Shit. Complete bull."

"That's all you seem to spout." I sighed, leaning back in my own chair. "But, I'll keep it in mind that you don't like him."

"You're still transferring me?"

"I have to. One too many incidents for my liking. I think I'm starting to see a pattern forming." I gave him a smile of my own.

"Where would you go?"

"I've not decided yet. There's still some wiggle room. I might not go." I shrugged. "I'm still thinking."

"But you have decided to switch me out."

"You seem rather upset." I noted, leaning forward. I'd really rather not agitate the criminal. "If I don't go, I won't transfer your file. But if I do, it's not like I can take you with me."

I winced as he jerked against his restraints, putting a hand to my ear. "I'm not upset, I saved your life."

"I seem to recall you being on the wrong side of the glass for that." I said thoughtfully before I realized. "He was showing off for you. That's why he didn't shoot me." I stood from my chair, looking at him in horror, clutching the scarf at my neck. My eyes flicked to the door as it opened.

"Everything all right?"

I shook my head. "We. We're fine. I'm sorry."

"You sure?"

"Y-yes." I sat back in my chair. "We still have the rest of our hour. Please."

"I'm right outside."

"Yes. Thank you." I pushed my bangs out of my face as I collected myself, taking deep breaths to calm my nerves. I clenched my hands together to keep them from shaking under the table. "Forgive my outburst. That was unprofessional." I looked at the table. "Would you like to continue or should I let the guards collect you?" He was silent for a moment.

"Why tell me if you haven't made an actual decision? You looking for my approval?"

I scoffed, my eyes flicking to the ceiling. "Actually, I was trying to give you notice and get your opinion of Dr. Sanders. Which I have done." I leaned back in my chair, crossing my arms. I winced at the bruises. "You did point out the gun." I admitted. "Which I thank you for."

He didn't say anything. He looked rather taken aback. I don't think he'd been thanked in a long time.

"I really am trying to see to your best interests, Joker." I said softly.

I could see the gears working in his mind as his eyes stared at me. I don't know how long we sat there before he decided to speak again. "You got any more candy?"

I smirked. "Yeah, I'll see if you can't have some." I grabbed the recorder, turning it off and putting it in my pocket. I stood from my side of the table. "Oh, what is your definition of a good doctor?"

"Why? Worried you're not it?"

I shook my head gently and knocked on the door.


	8. Chapter 8

I looked in disbelief at the director in front of me. "You're joking right? After everything I've been through, you're going to hold me to a contract?"

"You haven't left me a lot of options here." The director said, gesturing around his desk, which was spotless. "We don't get many people specifically requesting to be here. None of your caliber. Not to mention, this is Gotham. There's a certain risk level just walking down the street. My first week here, you think I didn't get my life threatened? You've been doing well considering. Look, stay, I'll give you a few less cases-"

"But I'll keep the Joker's?"

The director sighed. "He seems to like you. His last five therapists have ended up hospitalized. I don't understand it myself, but I'm not one to argue with results."

"And how long did he 'like' his last few therapists?" I asked, with a wave of my hand. "I did not have my life threatened by a patient. I can handle patients. The fact that I was threatened by one of your own security guards, that's what gets me. It should negate anything in that contract. I do not feel safe here."

"But it doesn't. You've had a lawyer look at this, yes? It is binding. I'm sorry, but you're stuck here until your contract is up."

I scowled, standing. "Fine. I'll stay." I conceded. "But one more incident and I'll leave. I don't care how much I have to pay to buy out my contract. I will leave."

"Understood, Dr. Reese."

In my office, I grabbed up my chair and started working on my paperwork. I sighed, slamming my hands on the desk a few times in frustration before I did anything.

TWO MONTHS LATER

I woke up with a groggy fog clouding my mind. I rubbed at my eyes and picked the crusties out of the corners as I looked around. Everything seemed normal. I yawned, wiping my mouth. I hadn't drooled, which was a plus, but I had slept on a pen. I grimaced and looked at my reflection in the sleeping computer. There was a small ink stain on my cheek, just obvious enough that it was obvious it was pen mark and not a mole. I was thirsty.

I'd been working nonstop for two months. I just wanted the contract to be over. I adjusted my neck scarf, a pretty red one today, and woke up my computer. I'd nearly finished my report on Pamela. I scoffed at my weakness and quickly finished it up. There was something strange going on here. "Oh, Dr. Reese. I didn't know you were still here."

I looked up to find Joker in my ceiling. "Oh my...!" I jumped.

"Ah ah!" He pulled out a gun. "Don't do anything rash, Doc." He warned, climbing out of the ceiling. Never once did that gun leave me.

"What is it with the security around here?!" I scolded.

"That is a very good question!" He laughed. He gestured me to back away from the desk, which I did. He hacked my computer and did something to shut off the electricity. "Come on, Doc."

"Why would I-"

"I will shoot you." He threatened, grabbing my arm in a bruising grip and leading me out of the room. He used me as a shield, but it was eerily quiet. "Strange, isn't it?"

"Yeah." I breathed, afraid. He giggled in my ear before he directed me to a supply room.

He told me to face the corner and take a time out. I did as I was told, hands behind my back. "You can turn around now."

I found him dressed as a security guard. If one didn't look too closely, you couldn't even see his scars. He had the gun in his hand and I wanted to run or scream or something, but he gave me a look that dared me to try it. I bit my lip and looked at the ground as he seized my arm again. "You don't have to rip my arm off!" I protested.

"I'll do worse than that if you don't behave yourself." He threatened.

We made it to the exit when we heard a commotion at the end of the hall. Two guards were running towards us. He stepped close to me- in front of me. "What are you doing?" One of the guardsmen asked.

"I'm escorting Doctor Reese to her car. Is there a problem?" Joker asked, his voice suddenly deep and authoritative.

"The Compound is in lockdown. She should be in the nearest locked room."

"Well, as you can see, there are none." He was right, the area was just an entry way, an admittance hall.

"What are you still doing here anyways?"

I looked to Joker's back, but he just cocked an eyebrow at me. "Paperwork." I squeaked.

He rolled his eyes and shot them both faster than I could blink. He grabbed the radio. "Shots fired. Repeat, shots fired in the east wing." He slammed it back onto the body of one of the men and then started sliding them behind the desk. A small trail of blood gave him away.

I couldn't do much more than stare. I'd never really seen a dead body before. I'd never seen two men shot in front of me in cold blood. My arm was grabbed again and I was dragged to the exit. "You... You killed them." I stuttered as he pulled me. "You shot them!"/

"Yeah. I'd rather them than me. Let's go."

It was quiet in the parking lot. It struck me as too easy. My eyes darted around, the security lights weren't even on. What had he done? He shoved me into a car and then pushed me over into the passenger seat. I tried to get the door open, but he thumped me in the back of the head.


	9. Chapter 9

**Hello! Scripturient, here! Just wanted to say hello and I apologize for this chapter. It is a set up that has short and long term goals. I just could not get it right, but, here it is- if only to move the story along. I know this is a very slow burn (Here it is almost chapter ten and there's no love interest!) But bear with me, cause things are about to get a little heated!**

 **Also, those of you who have been following and favoriting. Thank you. That means the world to me. I hope you stick around long enough to get to the good parts.**

 **Script**

I woke up to find he was driving. We were long gone from anywhere I knew. My home, my job, nothing was familiar. I groaned, feeling the back of my head and finding my hands were tied. He was driving like he didn't know how and his foot was made of lead. He swung past cars and dodged trucks. I could hear police sirens, but they were a long ways off. The music was heavy metal and my head throbbed in sync with the beat. I hissed as my fingers brushed the lump on my head, my hair stiff with dried blood.

Either he couldn't hear me over the wind in his face, which was out the window, or the music was drowning me out, or maybe he was just ignoring me.

Suddenly, the car swerved heavily. I clutched at the dash board and the door handle, but the suddenness of it had thrown me before I could react and I nearly landed in the Joker's lap. He came back into the vehicle, pushing me back into my seat rather roughly, and parked it. I barely had time to shake my head after banging it on the window once again before someone reached in and pulled me out.

I yelped and tried to struggle, stomping on my captor's feet and elbowing him in the solar plexus, but I didn't get far when someone snatched my hair up and jerked me to the floor. "Ah!" I cried, kicking out at the others who surrounded me and trying to get the hand out of my hair. "What do you want?!" I cried. "Let go of me! Let go!" The back of my coat was jerked up and the hand released me.

"Guys, this is our new physician. She'll be staying here for a while. Make sure she stays comfortable." Joker wrapped an arm around me, crushing. My knees were shaking and the only thing holding me up was this man.

He cackled, taking me further into the warehouse. When I tried to pull against him or drag my feet, he just hugged me tighter until I started cooperating.

I was thrown into a room, cement with a mattress on the floor. The door was slammed shut before I could do much more than right myself. There was one light and the ceiling was too high for me to do anything with it. It was dirty and it smelled as though something had died in here. Considering my accommodations, it was very possible something had.

The light flickered and I hugged myself. I could hear the hum of some sort of machine, but it was distant. The room wasn't very big. Just large enough I couldn't quite touch two sides of the room at the same time. It reminded me of the cells at Arkham.

I wondered why he would take me. Why did he have to take me? Why bring me here? Why not just dump me out somewhere while I was unconscious? Why not just kill me? I sighed, leaning against the wall. I was happy for my lab coat, it wasn't much, but it was better than nothing.

I don't know how long I sat on that blasted floor before the door opened again, and even then it was just some guy with a tray of food. I couldn't see much more than a bundle of clothes and a clown mask that made me tense up faster than a gun ever would. He dropped the food in front of me and left. The lock clicking behind him. A rat scurried across the floor and started eating. I grimaced and let him eat. My stomach queasy, probably because I hadn't eaten much besides candy since... Well, most of last month.

Turned out, it was a good thing I hadn't eaten because the rat ended up dead after an hour. Either old age or poison, I really couldn't tell. But I wasn't really going to do a necropsy on it either. I pushed the food, tray and all, to the door with my foot.

Boredom won out and I fell asleep sometime during the time I was left alone. I dreamed of clowns and taking a test naked. Real winners. I woke up to the sound of footsteps approaching- stomping- and before I could really register where I was or what was going on, the door was shoved open and a new tray of food was dropped before me. I made no move to touch the food, confused and afraid. "You'd better eat this one on your own before I make you." He growled.

"I-I have to go to the bathroom." I whimpered, pushing myself as close to the wall as I could.

He scoffed and grabbed me up. He took me out of the room, only to cross the hall and toss me in. I lifted my hands before I smacked my head again. "You got two minutes."

I nodded and he shut the door.

I was pulling my pants back up when he shoved the door back open and seized my arm again. He left me alone in the cell. I grimaced at the food as my stomach growled at me. There was nothing remotely appetizing about what was on that plate. It looked like eggs someone had thrown up. It was about the same substance too. I pushed it away and another rat showed up to take it. I huddled on the bed, pulling my coat close around me.

I sniffled, near tears. I could see my breath. Why was it so cold in here? I started walking around, trying to warm up. There was something he was waiting for. "If you're waiting for me to eat drugs, you might make the delivery system a little more appetizing!" I snapped at the walls. The clown from before, big and beefy, opened the door with such a force I was surprised that the cement didn't crack. I glared up at him. "What do you want?"

He didn't say anything, just took a threatening step forward. I held my ground. "Eat." He nodded his head to the tray beside him.

"Eat it yourself." I glared.

He turned and scooped some up in his hand and stormed over to me. I was pushed into the wall and he wrapped a meaty hand around my chin, forcing my mouth open as he pinned me between him and the cement. His grip was iron and he paid no mind to my clawing. He shoved the gross concoction in my mouth and then forced his hand over my mouth. "Swallow it." He growled.

I glared at him and gave him a gulping sound. He moved his hand and I spit it back in his face. He reared back just enough for me to stomp his foot and then kick him in the fork in his legs. He grunted, falling away from me. I took my chance and high tailed it out of the room. The hallway was empty. I shut and locked the door before he could make it out to chase me.

Heart racing and blood pumping in my ears, I ran back the way Joker had dragged me, my footsteps echoing- no. Not echoing. I ducked into a room before the henchmen could catch up with me.

"Oh, you made it!" I turned, slamming back into the door as I found the Joker looking at me from behind a rather large desk. I let my hand slide to the doorknob, but it broke off in my hand. He cackled. "You should see your face!" He pointed, nearly doubling over.

I threw the door knob at him. He ducked it and charged at me. However, instead of just beating me up or threatening me, he grabbed a chunk of my hair and shoved me into a chair.

I tried to stand back up, but he pushed me back down. "Ow!" I hissed. "What? What do you want from me?"

"From you? Nothing. From dear old dad? Well, that's another thing entirely." He smiled at me, scars pulling against his lips. He had slapped on make up and his hair was freshly dyed.

"My...Dad? What's he got to do with anything?"

"OH ho! She doesn't know!" He laughed.

"Doesn't know what?"

"What I know." He continued to laugh as he went around his desk. I started to stand, but he pulled a sawed off shot gun out of his purple coat and pointed at me. I settled back into the seat. "Dear old dad." He said again.

"What about him?"

"This isn't one of your sessions, Doc. I'm in charge here."

I scoffed, putting a hand through my hair, it was knotted and dirty, oily. "Like you weren't in control the whole time."

"Oh, she's smart." He shivered over dramatically. "She's got a sting and she's smart, but she doesn't know what I know about her dear old dad." He mused. "Tell you what, I like you. I will give you a little something." He licked at his scars quickly, hopping onto his desk to sit on it in front of me. He beckoned me closer. I stood hesitantly and took a step towards him. As soon as I was close enough, he grabbed my arm and twisted it up, making me drop to my knees. I whimpered as he reached behind him. He turned back to me with a needle.

I struggled against him, but he just twisted my arm a little more. I cried out and he traded places with me, slamming me over the desk, stretching my arm out, trapping it under his weight. "No!" I begged. "Let go!" I felt him jab me with the needle and I gasped at the pain. Freezing. I knew the hazards of needles. He let me go, stepping away. I fell to the ground, grabbing my arm. "What was in that?" I screeched at him. "What was that?" I couldn't feel my fingers after a few moments.

He just smirked and waited for it to take effect. My head started to get fuzzy after a few more moments. I tried to stand, but my legs weren't working, and my arms dropped. I couldn't move. "Paralytic." He winced, walking in front of me. He bent to my level as he looked at me with mock sympathy. "It'll make what happens next a little easier."

"what... What happens next?" It was hard to breathe.

"You die."

He pulled my hair out of my face as I leaned against his desk.

I woke to the sound of someone opening something, like a chest or- I sat up, gasping. Cold air rushed into my lungs, giving them momentary relief. I coughed. It was like my lungs had to figure out how to function again. I felt a hand on my back. I leaned over the side of whatever bed I was in and promptly puked bile. It landed with a splatter on the floor and whoever was holding my back disappeared momentarily to dodge.

I gulped in the air, my head spinning. I felt someone pull my hair away from my face and I lifted my head, wiping what hadn't fallen to the floor from my chin. It was dark, but it felt open, though my legs were covered. I was in a coffin. "Anne?" I looked up, eyes wide, full blown panic was starting to set in. "Anna?"

The man stepped into the light. "F-father?"

"Anna. Your time has come." He gave me a proud smile.

"What?" I asked tearfully.

"You'll see. John, get her out of there will you?" I looked beside me to see my father's right hand man. "Joker did well to get you here. I'll have to repay the favor."

"Joker?" I asked as my feet hit the floor. "He was in on this?"

"Oh yes. He moved just in time. If he hadn't gotten you out of there..." He trailed off, turning away.

I wanted to follow after him, but my legs went out from under me. John caught me in his arms, righting me immediately. "Dad, I don't understand. What's going on?"

"You will." He gave John a nod, who swept me up and started walking. "Rest now, my daughter."


	10. Chapter 95

Hey, Script here!

Just wanted to ask you lovely readers a question.. well... two- eh, three. Make it three questions.

I have noticed that a lot of people are reading and the handful of you that have followed and favorite this story are amazing and I love you and I would love to know any comments you might have! Including your opinion on two new stories.

I'm well aware that my... interests far exceed some peoples and yet may also be underwhelming in other's aspects of movie buffdom. But! I digress.

My first question: If you would, please comment? Just hey, I like this or what have you. I love getting feedback- especially grammatical errors I may have missed. Fresh sets of eyes are always welcome.

Second: This is a two part question. I have posted on my profile a thought. And I realized... no one looks at profiles other than to get to the stories page so, here it is. I have two stories, one is still a work in progress and the other completed. A) Would you read a Once Upon a Time RumpelstiltskinxOC- finished all the way up to the Camelot Arc? And B) A Lord of The Rings AragornXOC? I know, there's tons of them but... I wrote one more.

My third and final question: If you would like to read them, would you let me know? If there's enough of a stir, I'll gladly give details I.E. a summery, character description, and/or a first chapter.

Thanks for reading! As an incentive, I'll give another double update may 1!


	11. Chapter 10

**Hello! Script here, as an apology for the not-chapter, I have decided to post a new chapter early. This will not detract from the May 1st, double update if I can get some feedback from the not-chapter... and perhaps this story? I have seen a few favorite and followed, but... I would appreciate some feedback. Please. Also, any of you curious enough about the AragornXOC story I mentioned, there is an exclusive excerpt at the end of Chapter 10 in Knight in Shining Armor. Very obviously differentiated so you don't have to read the middle of a story you aren't familiar with. But, it's just a little something to say thanks for reading.**

 **Anywho, onto the story!**

I woke to a bit of sun in my face, peeking at me through the curtains. I groaned and rolled over. I felt like I had a hang over. "Drink." Someone commanded. I opened my eyes, squinting a bit, to find a glass of water in my face. I sighed and sat up, grabbing at it. "You've slept most of the morning away." He sighed, sitting on the edge of my bed. I watched my father carefully after I picked the crusties out of my eyes again.

"Well, I haven't had an easy few days." I snapped, catching sight of the paper in his hands. My picture was on the front page. I could only see half of it, as he'd folded it over, but it looked like they'd used my office photo. I sighed. "So, the world thinks I'm dead." It wasn't a question, but he answered it like one.

"Yes. Which is good." He stood, "Get dressed. I'd at least like to have lunch with you." I looked to the man as he straightened his sleeves a bit. "I'll be in the dining room." He walked out, paper tapping on his thigh.

The dining room was large, bright, oaky. I could see the garden through the trees and the fountain bubbling away. Very ostentatious.

He was at the head of the table, John was there as well as a few other of his henchmen. "Ah, there you are. Got lost did you?"

"Yeah- Yes. I did." I sat to my father's left and I couldn't believe the spread.

"I wanted to speak to you about your dealings with the Asylum in Gotham." He said as I filled my plate.

"My job?"

"Yes. You always were a curious child. I worried as soon as I got wind you were working there." He said. "I'm sure you noticed a few discrepancies concerning the patients."

I nodded, John kicked me under the table and I straightened. "Yes father. I was... I was going to ask the director about it when he got in. I started noticing it in Dr. Gerald's files-"

"Yes. I figured you would." Father laughed. "But your notice and eagerness to get out of your contract told the director everything he needed to know about you. He was arranging a riot to cover up your murder."

I choked on my drink. A few slaps on the back helped me out, and I looked at my father with wide eyes. He was smiling at me, but his eyes were hard.

"You really know how to dig yourself a hole, Anna." He slapped the table, making me jump. "What did I teach you? Lay low. Keep your head down."

He stood now and came to my chair, John holding me down by the shoulder. "I'm sorry. I just-"

"Apologies mean nothing!" He shouted at me before he took a breath. It seemed to calm him down. "You are my only daughter. I promised your mother- I promised you- that I would always take care of you. But you seem to willingly strut into dangerous situations like you were walking down rodeo drive."

"I don't try to..." I mumbled, looking down at my lap.

"Anna. Your assets can only save you so many times." He sighed, kneeling down before me to take my hand in his. He kissed my wrist. "I'm glad you're home again."

"Yes."

I hugged my legs to me as I looked out of the window from my seat on the sill. It was a beautiful moon with only a few clouds and so many stars. My breath fogged the window a little with every breath. I could see the grounds where a few patrols were being conducted. There was someone every ten feet.

I always loved the moon. It was beautiful, a reflection of the sun. Lit by it's radiance, the beams that floated down turned everything so... beautiful. Silver and grey and black and blues and greens. Water glistened, trees turned nightmarish by their daylight whimsy, shadows loomed like portals to another world. A darker world.

I looked up at the sky again, a cloud covering the moon and muting its light. I took the opportunity to get up from my seat and make my way to the bed. The covers were soft, cold from the absence of someone to keep warm, black in the dark of the room, but I knew that should I choose to turn on the light, they would be red. Deep, romantic red. the color of wine and that perfect shade of lipstick for the French restaurant. The color of a salsa dancer's dress.

I used to love that color.

I had been in my father's care for a month. Turned into nothing more than a library rat when I wasn't helping to tend his wounded warriors. There was nothing else for it. Nothing I could do.

I had that unsettling feeling I was being watched. I sat up a bit on the bed, looking to where I knew the camera was hidden in my room. There was no tell tale sign it was there. But I knew it was. I'd happened upon it when I was reminiscing over long forgotten memories. It was a nanny cam hidden in one of the many knick- knacks on my book case. An elephant, trunk raised in silent exultation. Father had given it to me when he'd returned from a business trip in Africa.

I sighed, turning to face the window once more, the moonbeams graced my floor. Only, not in the pattern they were supposed to. Some...thing was obscuring the top curve of what should have been my window.

And it was getting bigger.

I sat up again, my gaze rising from the floor to the window just as someone crashed against it. I used the covers to block harmful shards, screaming as some strange mass of black tumbled across my floor.

Fear took place of the serenity of the evening and I scrambled to grab the gun in my nightstand. Just as I brought it up in the dark, it was slapped away and hands trapped my arms to my side and pressed my back to a hard chest. "Anna." Said a familiar growl.

I gasped, my fear climbing. What was he doing here? Was he going to die trying to save me? Was he here to kill me after all?

"I'm here to help you." Batman rasped as though reading my mind. I nodded. "We don't have much time." I nodded again. "Do you trust me?" Another nod.

With that, he scooped me up and I wrapped my arms around his neck. He ran for the window again and leapt.

I didn't scream, but I did hold him so tightly, that had his suit not been made of such sturdy material, he might have been strangled. A sharp jerk had him grunting and me crying out. Someone shot at us and I cried out again.

Soon, I was dumped into a seat of some kind and he climbed into the machine after me before we zoomed off into the night. There was a strange lack of noise in the cockpit and I tried to make myself as small as possible as bullets started to ricochet. But we were quickly out of range.

"What business did you have with Matthew Bozeman?" He grunted.

"I didn't." I squeaked, looking out of the window at the passing sky. "He... He's my father." I admitted.

"Why have the Joker fake your death?"

I shook my head. "I noticed too much and attracted some kind of attention." I turned in my seat to look at him. "Thank you. For rescuing me... again." I looked away from him lest he think I was getting curious as to his identity.

I had no desire to know his true face. As that knowledge did neither of us any favors. He didn't say anything, but I felt his gaze. It was heavy and hard, analyzing. I looked at all the buttons around me and squished myself into my seat a little more. I felt very exposed and nervous. I didn't know what to do and the silence seemed to be against me.

"Where are you taking me?" I finally asked.

"To a safe place." Was my answer.

I must have fallen asleep or else he gassed me, because I awoke in an office. Commissioner Gordon staring at me as he spoke on the phone softly. I found my lower half was covered by a rough blanket and I clutched it to my like a life raft. How indecent.

He hung up and folded his hands over his desk, waiting for me to acclimate myself to my new situation. I checked my chin for drool and my neck for my scarf. "Where... What...?"

"He dropped you off fifteen minutes ago." He said. "No one saw." He assured.

I tucked the blanket under my legs and shifted in my seat. "I... I'm confused." I didn't like to be confused.

"He said that you had drawn some sort of attention?"

"All kinds." I sighed.

"I can help you, but you'll have to trust me, Anna."

I put a hand to my temple, rubbing at the ache growing there. "I suppose it started with Dr. Gerald. I noticed some strange... there were notes that didn't seem to connect to anything. It was just one or two. It was like they weren't supposed to be there or they were part of something... Bigger. I couldn't find anything at first, so I just dismissed it. but then... I found..." I sighed. "I found a file. It was old and it... It looked like illegal experimentation on the patients. I was going to turn it over to the director, but the Joker kidnapped me." I put my head into my hands. "He faked my death and took me to my father- who is Matthew Bozeman." I put a hand over my mouth to stop the word vomit.

I couldn't stop. I couldn't keep any more secrets inside. I just didn't have it in me anymore.

"Matthew Bozeman?" I nodded.

"I don't... I don't know what significance that name holds. Not much more than astonishment and looks. Please. I do not want to go back to him any more than I want to go back to the asylum."

"No. Of course not." He tossed a passport onto the desk and out spilled a license, birth certificate, and a social security card.

I snatched them up immediately. "Thank you." I mumbled, looking at the name. Anna Barber. How fitting.

"No matter the name you go by, it will not change how you look." He sighed. "And not many people have the scars you do."

"I don't plan on staying in this city."

"Where will you- no. Don't tell me." He gave me a pair of pants and a hat.

I quickly dressed, tucking in my baggy shirt and shoving my hat over my face. "Thank you."


	12. Chapter 12

Two years later

"Anna, so glad you could come." Captain Singh shook my hand. "How was the ride?"

"Smooth. Thanks." I smiled. "And who is this?"

"Oh, you remember Detective Joe West, the officer leading the case. And our forensic scientist Barry Allen." I shook both of their hands respectively. "They'll provide you with the details you need for a profile."

"Of course." I adjusted my scarf and gave them a nervous smile. "Lead the way."

"Right." Barry was a cutie millennial, good smile, flippy hair, lanky and lean.

Joe West, Detective, was on the older side, beautiful mocha skin, hard, watchful eyes, but a good smile- bit rough, reserved, but good. The two of them lead the way through the precinct. "According to the file that I read on the way here, it would seem that the victim was dumped at the scene. Rather than killed there. And the gun shot was centered on the face. The bullet was listed as a .45?"

"Yeah. Though, there's not much of a face left."

"Well, it did look as though the murderer emptied the clip. It suggests a rage most powerful." I stopped on the stairs for a moment.

"Ms. Barber?" Detective West asked.

"I'm sorry. I'm fine. I just needed a moment." I continued on my way as though nothing was wrong. But there was. Since the particle accelerator, there was just... It was something that had exacerbated my condition.

So many people, so many... influences. It was like a rainbow dancing over my eyes. I was happy once we reached the morgue where the body was on the slab, in pieces.

The quiet was nice. The stillness of the air, the cold that seeped in, the smell of formaldehyde and the clack of shoes. It was calming. "Well, that is very much full of rage." I noted, softly, talking through my observations and theories. "The damage suggests that he was facing his attacker. The burns suggest he was close to the muzzle when it went off. No defensive wounds." I slapped a few gloves on and examined the hands and the arms. "The shooter was angry. This person loathed Mr. Vern. Didn't want his face looking back at them. Didn't want him to look at anyone. That kind of emotion is personal. Goes beyond his job. The shots are clustered at his eyes and mouth. Perhaps this person felt bullied? The trajectory of the first bullet suggests a person a foot shorter than he."

"First shot? How can you tell? The whole thing is mush!" West protested.

I pursed my lips and looked up at the detective. "I have already stated that the shots fired were directed at his eyes and mouth. Not only is this person a rather good shot. Upon closer inspection, it looks as though the person was rather far away. There isn't enough burns around his face to suggest that all of the shots were fired at close range. So the shooter was far enough away to call out to Mr. Vern. He turned and was shot. That shot- that first shot- was here." I stuck a finger in a lone shot just above the left eye. "That hole continues to go through the top of his head." I pointed to the top of the damage. "Not exactly close range and rather different in angle compared to the others. Why shoot up when you've already got his face at your feet? Mr. Vern fell, dead, and the shooter did not fire again until he stood over his victim. Hence the blowback embedded in the man's skull. There was a lot of rage and it was not satiated until this man could not look at anyone with whatever look he was giving again. Now. Who did Mr. Vern know that is a foot shorter than he, rather loathsome of Mr. Vern, and who might his next victim be?"

"Excuse me?"

"This kind of anger does not happen over night, gentlemen. And it would have witnesses. Most likely, Mr. Vern was belittling our shooter. Bullying. There might have been others who saw and if they did, they were quiet about it. I highly doubt, now that our shooter has killed, that he or she will be satisfied." I tossed my gloves into the trash and gathered my belongings from one of the tables, straightened. I wanted to tell them more, but to do that would give myself away. I almost had anyways.

I had thought that to get away from Gotham would be to get away from all the secrets and the shame, instead... I have more. So many more.

I sighed, a hand to my head. I rubbed at my eyes and then pulled at my scarf. I had thought that Central City would be safe. Happy. Nice. Instead... It was nightmarish. The particle accelerator exploded and it had enhanced what I was just starting to come to terms with. It had made me exactly into what my father had wanted.

I was a freak.

"That was..." I jumped on the stairs, only to be caught before I toppled. "Sorry! didn't mean to scare you."

"Oh that's.. That's all right. I was in my own little world." I laughed it off, nervously. Barry let me go and I stepped away.

"I just wanted to say that that was amazing, what you did back there."

"Thank you. Were you able to analyze the blowback debris?"

"Yeah, it was gravel, but the salt content was extremely high. I've narrowed down the crime scene to the train station and the old quarry."

"Good." We reached the floor as a blonde, handsome cop, another detective, ran up to Joe.

"Sorry I'm late. I was-"

"Doesn't matter. We've got some leads to follow. I'll fill you in on the way." The two rushed off.

I smiled, watching them go. "Well, I suppose I'll see you around." I went back to Captain Singh's office and told him my findings, writing a report on the matter as well, before I clocked out and went to my apartment.

It was a small apartment, just big enough for me. A loft with an open floor plan. I took a step inside and shut the door behind me, shedding my jacket as I set my things down on the table. "Honey I'm home and I had a hard day." I sang. "Pour me a cold one, and oh by the way!" I hummed, as I started to dig around in my fridge. "Get off my feet, gimme something to eat, fix me up my favorite treat!" I kicked the door shut, ingredients in my arms. I dumped them all on the counter as my phone rang.

"You were right." Singh sighed. "Good work, Anna."

"Thanks, Cap."

I smiled. "We found the guy just before he shot another coworker."

"Good."

"I gotta go. I'll talk to you later."

"Not too soon, I hope."

"Right." I set the phone down and started on my dinner.

By the time I sat down, I was truly exhausted. I stuffed my face as I tried to find something good to watch on television. My hair was pulled up into a knot on the back of my head and my comfy shoes were on.

I heard my phone go off again. "Barber."

"Don't you barber me." Ashley's voice snapped. "You were supposed to be here ten minutes ago!"

"What?"

"Jitters?! Coffee? Blind date?!" With each word, her voice climbed.

I grimaced. "I didn't agree to that, Ash."

"You did." She argued. "Get down here before I come and get you."

I sighed, put my food in the microwave, and slipped on my shoes. I checked my scarf in the mirror and donned my jacket.

By the time I managed to get down there, Ashley was tapping her foot and red with anger. I sighed. "He left." She snapped.

"Just as well." I shrugged. "I had work. And I didn't agree anyways."

"You did!"

"Ashley!" I hushed. "Attention-"

"Will be attracted!" She snapped back. "I worked really hard to get him here, and you just don't show. Not a word or anything."

"I didn't agree!" I flared red myself. "Look, I know you mean well. But I don't want to meet new people. I don't need a man to feel better about myself. I am a fully accomplished and capable woman on my own, if you can't deal with it, then leave me alone!" I turned on my heel and went to go back home. She wanted a scene. She got one.

However, Since I was here, I got a cocoa. "Anna?" I turned to find Barry there.

"Oh, hello again."

"Barry! You just missed- oh, uh... Hi."

"Oh, Hey guys. This is Anna. She's a profiler at the station."

"Hi." They said rather awkwardly, flushing purplish pink.

"Anna, this is Caitlin and Cisco. They're friends of mine."

"Hello." I had no doubt they were witness to the debacle that was Ashley. "I apologize for my outburst." I dipped my head to sip my drink.

"Outburst?"

"I'm sure they can fill you in." I laughed. "I'm going to go home."

And with that, I left a very confused Barry in the hands of his friends. It was nearly dark as I walked home and it was starting to rain a little. "How interesting." I stopped in my tracks.

I had not expected to hear that voice. Not here. Not ever again.

I turned around, but there was no one there.

"You thought that moving all the way out here might save you?"

"Come out, you devil!" I snapped.

"You wanted to catch me? Well, here I am." I turned to find the man a few feet in front of me as though he had been there the whole time.

Fear clawed at my belly as my heart jumped into my throat as I looked at the man clad in a handsome suit and a black aura. "How- How did you..."

"How did I find you? Oh, it was rather easy." He grimaced, like he was sorry to have to say it.

I felt an ice settle in my gut as needles pricked at the base of spine. "What... What do you..."

This fear... Why was I so scared? Why wasn't he doing anything? Why wasn't he laughing? Why was he just looking at me like I was a puppy he was going to kick?

A wind blasted by and suddenly I was in a strange room. I couldn't stop shaking. I couldn't... My heart was pounding! I felt like it was going to explode out of my chest. I couldn't...

Someone stabbed a needle into my arm and I yelped, but after a few moments, my heartbeat slowed and I became aware of my surroundings. "...be all right soon."

"It was terrifying. She was just standing there. It was like she was being held at gunpoint but nothing was there. She was screaming. She was clawing at her throat. It was..."

"Ms. Barber?" A very formal academic voice asked of me.

I blinked. Lights, bright and white. I sat up, lurching. I was not in the hospital again because of that monster! I would not!

"Whoa, easy! Easy!" Some man in a mask put his hands on me as I stood. He helped me back onto the bed as my head swam.

"Ms. Barber, you were attacked. Do you remember anything?"

"Where is he?! Where is that son of a bitch?! I'm... Let go of me you heathen!" I snapped, slapping at the red man's hands. "Get off me!"

"Ms. Barber, you're safe now. If you'll just calm down-"

"Nope! No!" I snapped, setting up a barrier to get them all away from me.

They all expressed their surprise. I looked to find I'd been set up with an IV and ripped it out. "We know you're afraid- and a little angry, but we just want to help you." Flash said, his face shaking.

"I'm more than a little angry." I snapped. "You. Explain. Please." I pointed to a man in a wheel chair. He looked rather academic. In fact, I knew him as Dr. Harrison Wells. Man responsible for the particle accelerator explosion.

"A man affected by the particle accelerator explosion, much like yourself," He gestured to the shield I'd conjured. "And insists on wreaking havoc. He can access your most frightening memory and turn it against you. If you do not die of fright, your anger overwhelms your senses and-"

"The shooter." I realized. Of course. I took a breath. I analyzed. I was in STAR labs. What was left of it after the explosion. They were a dull orange yellow with concern and curiosity and happiness and I was in the presence of the Flash. I'd met two of this gang personally. Caitlin and Cisco. Dr. Wells was just a man I'd seen on my television. I had a bad taste in my mouth.

"Trash." I let the barrier down and found a can in my face, which I promptly vomited in. "Thanks."


	13. Chapter 12- the real chapter 12

**Short chapter!**

I sipped at my water and sighed. "I apologize for my outburst." I kept my eyes downcast.

"I think it was understandable under the circumstances." Dr. Wells offered a rather kind smile.

"So, how did this come about?" Caitlin gestured to me as a whole.

"I would suspect the explosion." I shrugged.

"I think she means, how did your talent manifest itself." Flash asked.

"I got mugged. Well... Someone tried." I gave her a smile.

"What are you looking at?" Wells asked as I watched her delight roll off of her in waves.

"I dunno. She's orange."

"What?!" She yelped. Checking her skin.

"No," I laughed. I might as well. I suppose. "It's your emotion. You're delighted. Orange. It's like... like a cloud around you."

"Interesting." Dr. Wells leaned forward, hands on his knees as he sat in his chair. "So not only can you defend yourself against a threat, you can sense the intentions of those around you. An ultimate shield, of sorts."

I blinked. I hadn't thought of it that way before. "Well, I've always been able to see the aura. Not quite this pronounced, though." I admitted. He was a rather curious soft yellow color.

"How potent is the shield?" Cisco asked, eating a twizzler with a smile.

"I'm not sure."

"Felt pretty potent earlier." Caitlin muttered, rubbing her nose a bit.

"I apologize. That was out of line."

"Not your fault." She dismissed.

I sighed, standing. "I'm feeling better. I should get going." I rubbed at my eyes and grabbed my jacket. "Thanks for the help." I avoided looking at the Flash, but waved in his general direction. "I appreciate it."

"No problem."


	14. Chapter 14

Script here!

I wanted to clear things up a bit, This story does not follow a movie. It does take place in the Nolan universe for the batman franchise, but this will, in fact, take place all over the DC universe.

My main character is very firmly planted in Central City and Gotham. This is a fanfiction that will not have any love triangles- I hate those!- and I will not negotiate.

On the storyline, she has changed gone into witness protection, basically. The best place for her is in Central city with Captain Singh, who is very aware of who she is, but not her talents. No one knows her talents.

But they will come into play and be revealed very quickly.

Her introduction into Flash's timeline will be set during season one, but will not have any known meta villains. The meta villain I have come up with is entirely my own- partly why it's kinda rushed and sucked I will do my best to fix this.

Also, it get's confusing sometimes for a reason. This is mostly written from Anna's point of view. Anna's not always going to know what's going on, which is why you won't know what's going on. But, as for her history up to this point... Let's just say, her dad is a very bad man. Bad to her, bad to others, just... bad. And he will crop up throughout the series.

She will be going back to Gotham pretty quickly... chapter wise. But I had to send her to Central for reasons that will become obvious.

So sorry for any confusion.

Thanks for the reviews!


	15. Chapter 15

**Apologies for not updating this one, wow, did not realize I was so behind on it. But, I'm uploading now! Happy belated Forth of July!**

I sipped at my water and sighed. "I apologize for my outburst." I kept my eyes downcast.

"I think it was understandable under the circumstances." Dr. Wells offered a rather kind smile.

"So, how did this come about?" Caitlin gestured to me as a whole.

"I would suspect the explosion." I shrugged.

"I think she means, how did your talent manifest itself." Flash asked, his voice as blurred as his face.

"I got mugged. Well... Someone tried." I gave her a smile, my eyes catching hers.

"What are you looking at?" Wells asked as I watched her delight roll off of her in waves.

"I dunno. She's orange."

"What?!" She yelped. Checking her skin.

"No," I laughed. I might as well. I suppose. "It's your emotion. You're delighted. Orange. It's like... like a cloud around you."

"Interesting." Dr. Wells leaned forward, hands on his knees as he sat in his chair. "So not only can you defend yourself against a threat, you can sense the intentions of those around you. An ultimate shield, of sorts."

I blinked. I hadn't thought of it that way before. "Well, I've always been able to see the aura. Not quite this pronounced, though." I admitted. He was a rather curious soft yellow color.

"How potent is the shield?" Cisco asked, eating a twizzler with a smile.

"I'm not sure."

"Felt pretty potent earlier." Caitlin muttered, rubbing her nose a bit.

"I apologize. That was out of line."

"Not your fault." She dismissed.

I sighed, standing. "I'm feeling better. I should get going." I rubbed at my eyes and grabbed my jacket. "Thanks for the help." I avoided looking at the Flash, but waved in his general direction. "I appreciate it."

"No problem."

I woke to the sound of my alarm going off. I rubbed at my eyes as I got ready for the day. It wasn't that big of a hassle as I didn't really want to deal with make up today. Slapped on a little eyeliner and was off.

I grabbed a coffee at jitters and went to the park where I was reading the paper. I don't know how long I was there when someone got my attention. "Excuse me." He bid.

I looked up to find a rather impressively dressed man with a nice smile and sad eyes looking at me with a bunch of people behind him. "Oh, I'm sorry, am I hogging the bench?"

"No, not at all. I was just wanting to ask you a question, if that's all right?"

I looked at him suspiciously. He was a happy orange mixed with a little curious soft yellow. "I suppose."

"How do you feel about this park?"

I smiled at the question. "Well, it's the only park within walking distance of my apartment and my job. It's the only park with the playground equipment for special needs kids. It's open and spacious and the pavilions don't leak and there's a pool for everyone and trails and bike paths. I feel happy here. I feel like this place brings happiness to a lot of people. So, I guess I feel protective of it. Why?"

He grinned at me. "Thank you very much." And with that, he turned back to the group of men dressed in equally expensive suits and I went back to my reading- only to get a call.

"Barber."

"It's Captain Singh. We need you to come in."

"Be right there." I hung up and started shuffling off.

"Oh, hey. Me again." I turned to find that man again.

"Oh, did you need something else?"

"Uh, your name, if you don't mind?"

"Anna." I offered a hand.

"Bruce." I smiled at him.

"Nice to meet you. I um.. I gotta go to work."

"Of course."

I got to the precinct and was immediately hit with a headache- so many negative colors. I put on my sunglasses and went inside to the captain's office. "You called?" I asked, knocking.

"Yeah. We got another angry killer on the loose. They need you in forensics."

I nodded and went towards the stairs. "Oh!" I bumped into someone.

"Whoa, hey!" Barry smiled. "You all right?"

"Yeah. Headache." I dismissed. "Captain called me in."

"Oh, great. Yeah. Come on."

His lab looked a lot like my apartment. Exposed brick, shelves, open floor plan, but there were a lot more machines in here that I didn't want to touch for fear of either bursting into flames from the chemicals or breaking one of his expensive machines. I went to the closest chair. "Whatcha got for me?" I took my sunglasses off and stuck them on top of my head.

He handed me the file. "Guy was stabbed to death with a pen."

"Wow, lots of rage." I grimaced at the photos. "Someone is influencing people to act on their fear and anger."

"How do you know this?"

"There have been three different cases involving rage in as many days. It's like someone's trying to play doctor. Make them face their bullies." I mumbled, hand to my scarf.

"How- uh... How did that happen? If... IF you don't mind me asking?" His voice was soft, tentative.

"Ex." I answered, my own voice following after his, slipping out without my intention.

"Sorry."

I shrugged. "This is-"

"It's been flagged." Captain Singh said, coming in with West and his partner. "They had similar cases like this in Gotham."

"What's that mean?"

"We've got the lead investigator coming in."

"Who is it?" Barry asked.

"Detective Ross."

"Ross?"

"I've never heard of him, but he seems to check out. He'll be here tomorrow."

"Wait, Captain." I called. "These cases seem to be connected." I held up the files in my hands. "They all involve-"

"Obviously, that's why we're bringing in the Gotham PD. Maybe we can get a lid on this."

"Right." I rubbed my forehead. If he wasn't going to listen to me so we didn't have to bring in the investigator, I couldn't do anything... Could I? No one was happy in here either. I adjusted my scarf. What should I do? I couldn't just quit, that would cause suspicions. But if I stayed, someone would surely recognize. I scowled, a thumb nail between my teeth.

"Anna?" Barry asked. I noticed I was still in his lab with Joe and Eddie.

"Oh. Sorry." I quickly left to my desk outside. This wasn't the only case I was involved in.

"Anna?" I looked up to find Detective West and his partner Eddie. "You think this could be a meta?"

"I do." I admitted. Joe was a very good man, I could see that. "He- or she- induces fear in their victim. If your body survives that fear, anger takes its place and vwa-la. We have a new killer. All of these people," I gestured to the case files. "They are just average joe blows with lives and families. They don't hurt flies. I'm sure-." I stopped. "Oh my." I dove into the files, looking at the case notes. The interrogations. "Oh no!" I groaned.

"What? What is it?" Eddie asked.

"It's a doctor. A- A therapist. None of these people ever stood up for themselves. All of them had anxiety. All of them were seeing a therapist. I'm sure of it." I flipped through the files. "There," I pointed at their itineraries. "Find that doctor, you'll find your meta."

 **IF you guys like this story, let me know. Message or comment, I'll update faster if I think it's actually liked versus, just kinda there. You know? Besides, comments help me become a better writer, not that you should be nasty, but constructive helps. Thanks!**


	16. Chapter 15- the real fifteen- kinda

**Hello! I'm still alive! I'm so sorry for the delay. Depression sucks. Here's another chapter! things are moving... slowly, but moving. I did warn you all this was a slow burn that travelled the DC universe.**

 **Script**

I waited in line for my cocoa as I played with my phone. "Anna?" I turned to find a familiar face. That man from the park.

"Oh hello. Bruce was it?" I asked, eyeing him for a moment, uncertain.

"Yeah. How are you doing?" I smiled at his own smile. He was surrounded by a happy aura, if tinged in sadness.

"I'm doing well- or I was, two seconds ago." I lifted the paper to show him the article, eyebrows arched. "Bruce Wayne buys up park property?"

"Well, I can explain that." He offered with a wince.

"Please do so." I said, waiting.

He gave me that smile. "In the day time, it's nice and sunny, pleasant. But at night, it's another matter."

"What are you talking about?"

"Drugs."

"Oh! I- I had no idea." I gasped. "How horrible!"

"I agree."

"So, what are you going to turn it into?"

"Oh, don't worry. I don't plan on turning it into anything." He assured. "I just want to make it safer."

"Oh, all right. But why not just let the community-" I stopped myself. "Never mind. Obvious answer." He laughed at that.

"Next!"

"Oh, right." I looked at Iris, the barista, "I'm sorry. Could I have a cocoa please?"

"Yeah, just the usual?"

"Please." That's what I liked about Jitters. They weren't usually so busy and they would recognize me. They knew I liked milk rather than water in my cocoa. And I liked the chocolate shavings and extra whipped cream and cinnamon- and a pinch of red pepper. It was beautiful.

When I accepted it and paid, I turned back to Bruce. "It was nice talking to you."

"Wait, would- Would you like to get lunch with me?"

"Oh? So soon after our coffee date?" I teased. "I must be a better conversationalist than I thought." I smiled.

"That's not an answer." He smiled back, charming and suave with those dimples and sharp chin.

"I would love to, but I've got to get back to work." I dug in my purse for a card and gave it to him. "How about another time?"

"Great." I turned and went back to the precinct. I didn't really have a lot to do, but I couldn't be late today, not with that Gotham city boy coming in.

On my way back, I thought about what I had just done. I gave Bruce Wayne- billionaire, philanthropist, playboy- my number. Emphasis on the playboy, though that seemed to be a result of an ex. There wasn't a month that went by where he wasn't in the tabloids. Did I want to expose myself like that?

I shook my head, turning the corner- only to stumble a bit, cocoa all down my front. "Oh!" I cried.

"I am so sorry." I heard, but then hard hands were at my waist and my hand, backing me against brick. I panicked and pushed at him with both my free hand and my power.

I screamed.

And then I ran. I ran, cursing myself for wearing heels. They were low, but they were there. He caught me before I got far, but I pushed at him again with my power, knocking him into the wall instead. He ran that time, down the alley and into the shadows.

But he'd slammed me into a wall of my own. It was like I'd run a marathon rather than a couple blocks. I couldn't catch my breath, and the cocoa was warm and dripping and soaking through everything. I'd lost my heels in the scuffle. A stitch in my side growing sharp.

I limped into the precinct and a lot of conversations stopped. "Anna! What happened?!" Captain asked, coming out of his office.

"I... I was..."

"She's going into shock!" Someone cried, catching me as my eyes rolled into the back of my head.

I woke in the hospital, my right ankle propped up on pillows, a heavy bandage on my forehead. My left arm was bandaged and my clothes were gone, replaced with a standard gown. "Anna?"

I found the captain in my vision and I smiled, still groggy. "Cap-I-tahn!" I giggled. I tried to shift, but a pain blossomed in my gut.

"Easy now, you were hurt pretty bad." He urged.

"Do you remember what happened?" Someone else piped up. Joe.

"I... I was walking. Some... Some guy bumped into me. He was... angry. I... thought he was helping- but then... he- he..."

"All right. That's it. Easy. easy now." Captain urged as the heart monitor went haywire.

"I was so scared. Everything was yellow and it was... It was so bright. I couldn't..."

"I know. I know, Anna." He urged, a soothing hand in my hair.

I calmed down after a moment and I moved a hand to my side, where the pain was radiating. Hard bumps, a sharp sting. What did he do to me?

"What..."

"You were hurt. How you walked all the way back to the precinct is..." I turned my head, letting it fall back to the pillow.

He'd hurt me badly. The fight couldn't have lasted more than a few seconds, but in that time span, he had seriously hurt me. "He said he was sorry." I mumbled, tiredness pulling at my eyelids. "He said... he was sorry..."

I woke again from a nightmare. I let out a strangled yelp and looked around the room. "Anna Barber." I heard someone hiss.

"Who- who's there?"

"You... You're trying to stop their progress." The voice was angry, desperate. "They have to face their fears to heal!"

Suddenly, a hand was on my neck and a raging, scowling snarl with wild eyes and red and yellow rolling off him in waves. But then he was gone.

Like he was never there.

Was this the real nightmare?

 **Wow, this girl just cannot catch a break! Please review or message me if you liked or didn't like it. I'll try to upload more. Anyways, enjoy your day/night!**


	17. Chapter 16

I sighed, going into my house, a cane in hand. It was a few days before I'd gotten to go home. A few more before I would go into work again. That maniac had stabbed me pretty good. I went to the fridge and found nothing I wanted. My phone rang. "Barber."

"Anna?" Asked a familiar voice. "It's Bruce, I'm sorry it took so long for me to call."

"Oh, that's all right. I was occupied." I laughed, fidgeting with my scarf even though he couldn't see it.

"I'm leaving back for Gotham about four o'clock today. I was hoping you would want meet up or..." He trailed off.

I smiled. He sounded so sweet. "I... I would like that, but I.. I don't know how good of company I would be." I admitted.

"It doesn't have to be anywhere fancy." He assured. "My treat."

"Oh no. I don't think that's necessary." I laughed. "It's just... I... I'm kind of recovering." I admitted. I did want to see him again, for some reason. "Why don't I make you lunch?" I offered.

"Oh, I couldn't ask-"

"I insist." I smiled. This would be a nice compromise. No gawkers, no attention. I could just talk with him and we could be as loud as we wanted. I gave him directions and got out a few ingredients for a chicken alfredo and some salad.

He knocked on the door rather quicker than I expected as I cleaned up a bit of clutter from my couch and it took me a moment to get to the door. But when I opened it, he looked rather... Suave. Dressed in a suit and his hair brushed soft and tucked behind his ear, boyish grin on his face as he held out a bouquet to me.

I felt rather under dressed in my pajama and robe. I was happy I'd at least taken a shower that morning, but that happiness was tainted with the fact that I was wearing mickey mouse jammies. "Hi." I smiled, accepting them.

"Hello." I let him in and made my way back to the couch. "I was going to bring wine, but if you're recovering..."

"I had an incident with a suspect." I admitted.

"Suspect? What exactly do you do for a living?"

"As if you didn't run a background check on me before you even ran into me at Jitters." I teased. "I'm a profiler for the CCPD." I answered anyways. I led him to the kitchen where he could sit at the bar. "I apologize for my attire."

"Oh nonsense. You look fine. I'm the one who's over dressed."

"Why is that? Double booking?" I smiled, showing my tease.

"Actually, I just came from a business meeting. The board is trying to fight keeping the park."

"Why?"

"Well, they feel a business office would better benefit the area."

"Oh."

"I shut it down with projections. We would spend more in legal battles than necessary, and not to mention, it is the only park in the city with playground equipment suitable for special needs children. It's far too important to turn into an office building."

I sighed, taking the chicken out of the fryer. "Oh good." I gave the noodles a stir.

"Can I help with anything?"

"Salad." I gave him the bowl and then checked the cheesy garlic bread. "And you can slice the bread." I smiled. I stirred the sauce.

"So, what happened?"

"The suspect got desperate. Knew that I was profiling him. He attacked me." I shrugged. "But it's just as well. He got himself caught either way." I started to lift the pot, but pain blossomed in my side and I nearly dropped it.

Like we'd rehearsed it, he slipped in behind me and took the pot. I ducked his arm and he poured it into the strainer in the sink. I ducked him again and he dumped the noodles back into the pot. I turned off the burners as he plated the noodles and I topped them off with the chicken and then the sauce and he came back behind me with the bread and the salad.

"So, what'll you do back at Gotham?" I asked.

"Oh meetings, a few luncheons, a charity gala, the usual."

"Usual?" I laughed.

"And you?"

"Me?"

"What'll you do when you recover?"

"Work and jitters and the occasional trip to the book store." I took a small bite. "The usual." I watched him eat for a moment.

"This is great."

"Thank you. So, why me?" I asked finally, gaining his attention. He swiped at his mouth with a napkin. "What got your attention?"

"Well, to be honest, it was the light. The way it just draped over you as the wind tried to tease you into a dance. The way your eyes were lit as you skimmed the page. It was like looking at a painting."

"Oh, such a charmer!" I laughed, blushing. I saw his own cheeks tinge a bit and his aura took on a pink tinge of embarrassment and orange with happiness. "You certainly have a beautiful way of looking at me." I smiled.

"You are a beautiful woman."

"Why thank you, you're pretty handsome yourself. But you knew that."

"Of course, what kind of playboy would I be if I didn't?"

I giggled at that as my eyes caught the time. "Oh wow. It's already two. How did that happen?"

"What?" He looked as well.

"Your flight's at four right?"

"Right." He turned back around as I did the math on my fingers to calculate when I last took my pills. I popped one. "What are those for?"

"Pain." I sighed. "And an immune booster to prevent infection." I took a sip of my water and washed them down.


	18. Chapter 17

"Hey, Anna! Great to have you back!" Eddie smiled, passing me.

"Yeah, great to see you again!"

"There's a bunch of files waiting for you."

"Great to see you on your feet!"

"Hey, take it easy!"

"Anna Barber! My office!" I sighed, making my way to the Captain's office. "Have a seat, we've got some paperwork to go through before you get back to work." He shut the door and went around his desk and started pushing buttons on his office phone. "Your cover has been blown."

"Wha... What?" I asked, taken aback. How sudden. How... abrupt.

"The officer sent here to consult on the case was killed and replaced with a dupe." He turned his attention to the phone. "She's here."

He put it on speaker phone. "Anna, you remember the commissioner."

My voice was small as I replied."Yeah."

"Hello Anna." Gordon's voice sounded tired, apologetic.

"...Hello." If he looked anything like Captain Singh, I was sure he was.

"We are doing everything we can, but there could still be people coming for you. You should be put under police protection immediately." Gordon said.

"We're going to have a squad watch your house and a few undercover-"

"What exactly makes me so important?"

"Not only are you the daughter of Matthew Bozeman, you are a member of this police department." Singh responded, leaning on his desk.

"What exactly does my father do that makes him so important?" I had tried to google him, research, but I couldn't find anything more than a business tycoon. However, given my father and the company he's kept, I could assume. And nothing I could think of was very heartwarming.

"That's classified and for your protection, the less you know about him, the better." Gordon said. "I've just been notified that there are hitmen starting to move. He knows you're there."

Hitmen?!

"Not for long." I snapped, getting up. "Consider this my resignation."

"Anna, we can help you."

"You won't even trust me to know what's going on!" I snapped. "Look. I don't want anyone- especially these people- dying because of me. I would rather be on the run than risk it." I put a hand on my scarf, adjusting it a bit. "The city needs you guys too much. And if it comes to it, my father will incite a war to bring me back."

I stood and went to the door. "Anna-"

"Thank you, Captain, for the opportunity." And with that, I walked back out.

I packed a bag and got into my car. When I hit speed, I tossed my phone out of the window, watching it satisfactorily break against the pavement. I made it to the red light just down the block before there was a gust of wind and suddenly, I was in STAR labs once again.

"You've got to be KIDDING ME!" I shouted, stomping my foot like a five year old about to have a tantrum, as I got a good look at the three people in front of me, equally confused. I turned around to leave, only to see the Flash's blurry face blocking my path. "Get out of my way!" I growled.

"No." He said.

"Why?" I stepped forward. "Why are you interfering Barry?!"

He froze, completely. Shock on his face. "You knew?"

"Just now." I snapped. "Do you see how dangerous I am? If my father finds me, he will never let me go. And if I stay here, it will be an all out war. I don't know what he does, but it can't be very good if he puts people like the Joker in his employ. Now move."

"He will catch up to you sometime, Anna." Barry tried.

"Most likely, but he can't put this city in the middle of it."

"I can take you anywhere you want to go." He offered. "Let us help you."

"No. The less contact I have with you the better." I put up a barrier, shoving him towards the others. "Thank you for trying. But I can't involve you."

"What was that about?" I heard Caitlin ask as I ran outside, my footsteps echoing through the corridor.

Once outside, I let up the barrier and created another, one to stand on, and then I let it float up and up and up.


	19. Chapter 18

A week later, I was in a small town in Kansas, literally. The name was Smallville. It was a cute, friendly neighborhood that just kind of snuck up on me. I had a room in the motel and a beautiful view. How strange, they even had a farmer's market. I had fresh food every day.

I missed the precinct. I missed Barry and Joe. I missed Jitters most of all. I missed my park.

I didn't know what to do with myself. I felt at a loss. My books were gone, sold for extra money. I needed to find a new job. What could I do?

I couldn't be a therapist. I couldn't make a name for myself in law enforcement. I couldn't... I couldn't do anything.

I sighed. I would be fine for a while, but I couldn't stay in this room forever. I needed an apartment.

The best thing about living in a small town was that the rent prices were low.

But in order to have continuous rent money, I needed a job. The circle goes on. It looked like the grocery was hiring.

"What previous experience do you have?"

"I have work in the police department." I admitted. "But I ran into a personal situation and had to leave quickly."

"I see. What did you do?"

"Uh. Secretary." I lied. "I did filing and sometimes I did dispatch when it was busy."

The disinterest that was fading was growing again. "Well, I'll have to call to get a reference-"

"No!" She jumped at my outburst. "I mean. Please don't. That personal matter. It-"

"Oh, I get it, you had an affair with the boss or somethin' huh?"

"No! No, nothing like that. It... It's more along the lines of an abusive relationship." I said with a sigh, my hands flitting to my neck scarf.

"Oh, honey. You're safe here. Is cashier all right?" I nodded. "Great."

"How much an hour?"

"Oh, you'll get minimum wage for the first 90 days. Once you're all trained, you'll get benefits and pay increase of 15 cents for every year you're here. Plus the Christmas bonus."

"Perfect. Thank you. Thank you so much!"

"James?" She asked, capturing the attention of a passers by. "Will you give her the training?"

"Yeah."

James was a handsome looking young man, farm boy next door kinda guy. Sandy blonde hair and pretty brown eyes. His aura was surrounded in yellows and oranges and a small tinge of red.

I worked there for a year, getting an apartment over a beautiful bakery and it was nice. I nearly had a fling with James, but then I came to my senses, he was a little hostile after that. But over all, it was pretty pleasant.

Until...

What else.

I got a speeding ticket and they ran my information.

I had a missing persons out, thanks Dad.

So I was in the police station trying to explain myself. "No, no. Look, my father is an abusive asshole. I ran off to get away from him. I will pay for the speeding ticket, but please. Just let me go."

"Look, we've notified him, he's on his way- with a reward. Maybe he's changed?"

"You don't know my father." I sighed. I dug my money out of my purse and slapped it on the desk.

How long would it take for him to find me? How long would I have?

When I got back to my apartment, it was dark and I just grabbed a go bag. I'd known that the peace here couldn't last.

I was out the door and in the back yard before the moon was up. "Hiya, Anna." I looked up to find James.

"Not now." I put a shield up, surrounding me from his eager eyes and large hands. I floated into the air and heard a gun go off, but the bullets ricocheted, useless.

However, I ran into a chopper in the air. "Stay where you are!" The pilot ordered.

I rolled my eyes and dropped into a cloud. It was cold- so cold- and wet. I wasn't dressed to stay in there long, but I did manage to get behind them and then made my way as far as I could.

I didn't know where I was going. I only knew that I needed to get away. Cold and wet, I couldn't stay in the air long. I set down in the woods. Everything was wet due to some recent rain and I couldn't concentrate long enough to put up a shield any more. I was so tired.

But I had to keep moving. Didn't I? I couldn't just stay in the middle of the wood.

I coughed, wet and loud. I cursed at myself. If I got sick... I was sick.

The moon was bright as I wandered around. Twigs snapped and branches rustled. I was not overly quiet.

I don't know how long I walked or when I stopped.

I woke in a hospital, machine beeping and a tube up my nose. Cuffed to the bed. Father coming into the room. I quickly faked sleep. "... Yes, yes, she is. I was so worried about her, what with her need for medication. I am so thankful that you found her."

"Is there any way we could take her home soon?"

"There's no telling until she wakes up. She hit her head pretty hard on the rock."

"I thought the scans were clear?"

"The brain is a tricky thing. We just want to be sure that everything's all right."

"Thank you doctor. John, why don't you stay here and I'll go make some calls, make sure everything's ready for her return."

"Yes boss."

Crap. I had to pee. John was a tall, dark haired, bulky man that seemed to be very interested in his phone.

My head hurt. There was a bandage on my temple and IVs in my chest and arm. I couldn't lay in this bed much longer without having an accident.

I found the button for the nurse's station and waited. The nurse showed up and he finally looked up to see I was awake. "I gotta go to the bathroom."

The nurse shuffled the guy out and helped put one of those bedpans under me.

"What's with the cuffs?" She asked.

"My dad doesn't want me to run away. He's awful. Please. Help me."

"What do you mean he's awful? I can fill out a report or something."

"No. He'll say that I'm insane or sick. I'm not. Call Central City Police Department. Talk to Captain Singh. Please. Or Call Gotham City Police Department. Call Commissioner Gordon. Please-" The door was knocked on and she pulled away as it opened to reveal my father.

"Anna! You are awake!" He rushed to my side like the concerned father he might have been when I was younger.

"Dad..."

"The last I saw of you, that horrible batman was taking you away. Did he hurt you? Did he do anything?" His touch on my hand was soft as he looked at me concerned.

"No. He didn't do anything. I'm fine."

"Thank God." He sighed. As soon as the door shut the act dropped and his grip turned hard as he sat on the edge of the bed. "You kept running."

"I just-"

He rose his hand and I flinched. "That was a warning. Do you have any idea how many resources I wasted trying to track you down? I find out not only have you moved halfway around the country, but you have been involved with the police?! Anna, you break my heart."

"I only wanted to live my life. Daddy, what are you involved in?"

"None of your business. Only know that now you are safe." I coughed.


End file.
